Is the Xbox Series S worth buying in March 2023?

Microsoft launched the Xbox Series S and Series X in 2020 as part of its ninth-gen home video game console lineup. Both devices support the latest technologies — hardware-accelerated ray-tracing, complex mesh models, and high-resolution gaming.

However, the Series S is significantly weaker than its older sibling; in many ways, it is slower than the Xbox One X from 2017. The Redmond-based tech giant has taken a unique approach with its latest consoles for gaming.

While one is designed to deliver next-gen experiences at up to 4K, the smaller, weaker, and much cheaper Series S is only built to extend the platform's availability and bring gaming to even more people.

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The Xbox Series S is a smart decision from Microsoft - Sales numbers speak

The new Xbox lineup is much faster than the last-gen equivalents. They are powered by AMD's RDNA 2 architecture, the same tech that runs the RX 6000 series of GPUs.

Big Navi is a massive step up from the Graphics Core Next (GCN) GPUs that powered the Xbox One consoles, as evident from the real-world performance gains from the R5 and R7 lineups to the latest and greatest from Team Red.

The Xbox Series S is powered by an octa-core Zen 2 CPU, the same tech that powers the Ryzen 3000 processors. Zen 2 is a massive jump from the preceding Zen and Zen+ processes. Compared to the lackluster quad-core Jaguar CPU powering the One console, the new solution is much faster and more efficient.

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The headline of the Xbox Series S is not its impressive hardware

The Xbox Series S's hardware is not flashy; Microsoft targets affordability with this console. As mentioned, the console is dwarfed by the last-gen Xbox One X.

With a measly price tag of $299, the console is much cheaper than the $500 Series X and PlayStation consoles. No gaming PC can play the latest games for years to come flawlessly for this price.

The Series S targets a lower resolution. Instead of the 4K goodness that the PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles promise, the Series S is built for 1080p and 1440p gaming. 1080p continues to be the most popular resolution across the globe. It is also the cheapest. Multiple quality FHD monitors are in the $60 to $70 range.

Thus, the Xbox Series S can further build on its promise of affordable gaming. Coupled with the Xbox Game Pass subscription, the more affordable gaming console offers the best value, even three years from its release.

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It is worth noting that the Series S is not built for flagship performance. It is built for a budget audience who wants to play the latest titles without spending a week's wages on a gaming console.

It is the only video game console on the market to target this aspect. After dwarfing the Series X sales, the console has lived up to Microsoft's vision.